Goals

As a family we settled down about the first week of January and talked about things we would like to accomplish this year.  We do this every year, and I guess we always will.  Not sure how much good it does, but we continue to try.  We succeed for about half a year and then we get tired, or lose track, or steam, but we continue each year, so I guess that is worth something.

This year it surprised me that the thing the kids wanted most this year was to spend more time together as a family.  Doing things like watching movies together, playing games, eating together, hiking.  They all wanted that.  It is sad but I tend to notice when they get home from school they do homework, I fix dinner, and then we all go our separate ways and spend the evenings pretty much alone even if we are in the same house.  Shawn either works or gets in the tub and watches shows.  I go to my room or do crafts.  Jace plays games, Cade plays games, and Ethan is either gone or at work, or doing homework.  So I think it is good that this is something they all want to do.

As for me, my biggest goal this year is to get back to the basics.  The basics of prayer, scriptures study, going to church and journal writing.  My life goes so much better when I am doing those things, and for some reason it is so easy to shove those things aside if I am busy, and I usually am.  I decided I needed to re-evaluate what is truly important and these things are.  They are more important than crafts, than laundry, that cooking, that my computer.  So that is what I am concentrating on.  I told the Relief Society president that I wanted a more involved calling.

I have had a hard time going to church lately.  Part of it is just so much that has to be done and feeling like I have no down time and that going to church is just one more thing.  That of course is looking at it wrong.  I always feel better after going, and the lift in my spiritual well being as always good.  So having a calling should help get me there.  I know another issue is I don't particularly feel close to anyone in this ward.  So I am trying to work on that as well and make some good friends that I feel comfortable around so I feel comfortable and wanted at church as well.

I know part of my feelings about church are because of extended circumstances that I have no control over, but that too, is something only God can work on so I need to leave it to him.

We studied the other day a topic that made it clear that Heavenly Father would help us with power through the atonement.  Not only to repent but to be strong.  Not will power, but his power.  We talked about it a lot, and sometimes it is just saying I can't do this, so you better pull me through.  I think all of have those issues and moments.  Anyway.....


This long post that is rambling, is really my way of setting down in writing that I have made a  goal to work on things where I need help and that As a family we are going to work on helping each other.

Fixing dolls

This past Christmas my mother decided to start giving away her doll collections.  Each of us girls got a doll that meant a lot to her  or one that my grandmother made.    They really mean alot to each of us as well.    Since she has had them for a long time most of them are dirty and dusty.  When I got mine I decided it needed a good cleaning, so I unpicked the back of the dress and then took the clothes off and hand washed them.  Then I cleaned up the doll with a washcloth and sewed up any of the places that the Muslin was wearing out.  I put snaps on all of the clothing so that they could easily be cleaned in the future if needed.  When I am done the doll looks so good and almost new.  When Lill saw mine she asked me to do hers so I did.  It was amazing.  Her doll actually had light green lace on it, but had faded to a yellow, so I  took one of my Copic markers and used water and recolored the lace and it looks really nice.  Then I saw Charlene's so I did hers as well.  Her's is in lavendar.  They all look so good now.  I should have taken pictures of the others but I didn't.  Mine is below.

Crafting

I have used a bit of my january to do a little crafting.  Things that were supposed to get done before Christmas, but didn't.  I think I'll just count them as getting ahead for this coming year.  Besides I enjoy it and have a good time doing them.  I can listen to books while doing them as well.

January is the time to get to stuff I never do!

So I put things off and off and off.  Finally when things are so bad I can't stand it I say - January.  Since it is always cold and yucky outside I know I have a little time for things inside that normally don't get done.  This year it was my flowers.  Wreaths and arrangements.  They have gone through two moves and many years of dust and gravity and fading.  I finally couldn't take it anymore and redid them all.  I mostly put them back the way they were as I like them.  But they look new and nice.  The kids thought I was nuts washing my dried flower wreaths and silk, flower by flower, and letting them dry and then putting them back together.  Why not buy new.  They have no idea how much this would all cost!!!